Finding & Learning from a Martial Arts Mentor

The following is adapted from Step on The Mat.

People, a lot of times, don’t want help. Sometimes people see the word mentor and they think of it as someone who is telling you what to do. A mentor is not a weak thing. Each one of us has skills, but we all lack certain skills.

Why We Need Mentors

There is so much information out there—at the library, or on the internet. You can also pay a mentor for their time. It can be difficult to sort the good information from the bad.

A lot of people read Rich Dad Poor Dad, for example. It’s a very popular book. Some people read the book and collect information. It’s another thing to know how to apply that information and have expert guidance. Books are great, but they can’t take you all the way. They can’t support you.

No one is above having a mentor. Even I still have mentors, whether it’s for writing a book or even martial arts. I need to keep...